A well-done review by Bert Pieke IMHO. I have a couple of issues with the Epic which he did not mention though. The passenger seat behind the co-pilot and facing the back has the Epic lettering reversed. You can see this when you hit the 'A' key two times and look at the top of the seat. The other problem is with the door opening/closing. When I first got this aircraft, I didn't see this problem but now it happens all the time and just with the Epic. When I hit the Shift+E keys to open the door, it opens then immediately shuts, then opens and immediately shuts like the function is running in a loop. I can't get it to stop no matter what I do. I tried using the icon on the panel to open the door but it does the same thing. Like I said it doesn't happen in any other aircraft so I'm confident my FSX settings are okay. I plan on uninstalling and reinstalling this aircraft to see it that fixes the problem. Also, not really a problem, but the aircraft has no reverse thrust and you have to be really careful you don't come in too fast and the flaps are fully extended to slow the aircraft down. This probably happens in real life too. Thanks again Bert for a great review.Best regards,Jim

A well-done review by Bert Pieke IMHO. I have a couple of issues with the Epic which he did not mention though. The passenger seat behind the co-pilot and facing the back has the Epic lettering reversed. You can see this when you hit the 'A' key two times and look at the top of the seat. The other problem is with the door opening/closing. When I first got this aircraft, I didn't see this problem but now it happens all the time and just with the Epic. When I hit the Shift+E keys to open the door, it opens then immediately shuts, then opens and immediately shuts like the function is running in a loop. I can't get it to stop no matter what I do. I tried using the icon on the panel to open the door but it does the same thing. Like I said it doesn't happen in any other aircraft so I'm confident my FSX settings are okay. I plan on uninstalling and reinstalling this aircraft to see it that fixes the problem. Also, not really a problem, but the aircraft has no reverse thrust and you have to be really careful you don't come in too fast and the flaps are fully extended to slow the aircraft down. This probably happens in real life too. Thanks again Bert for a great review.Best regards,Jim

Thanks for the flowers!Jim, are you sure you are not parking in a re-fueling zone when the door refuses to stay open?This has happened to me in the past, and there are really no indications to alert you to this :(

Thanks for the flowers!Jim, are you sure you are not parking in a re-fueling zone when the door refuses to stay open?This has happened to me in the past, and there are really no indications to alert you to this :(

I just tried it again at Friday Harbor and started out at Parking 12 which is directly across from the fuel pumps but some distance away. I was able to open and close the doors with no problem. I then went over to the fuel pumps and tried it again and the door refused to stay open. Thanks! Good info to know. I'll make sure I stay away from the pumps! I wonder if this happens with all aircraft? Best regards,Jim

I just tried it again at Friday Harbor and started out at Parking 12 which is directly across from the fuel pumps but some distance away. I was able to open and close the doors with no problem. I then went over to the fuel pumps and tried it again and the door refused to stay open. Thanks! Good info to know. I'll make sure I stay away from the pumps! I wonder if this happens with all aircraft? Best regards,Jim

Yes it does, but the first time you run into it you would suspect the airplane - I did :(

Thanks Bert for reviewing the EPIC. I know that some aficionados have a problem with it but the EPIC is my favorite plane. Just wish they were in production and I could afford to own a real one.jja

Hi Bert,Thanks so much for your review of the Epic Victory. If it's not too much trouble, would you mind posting the specific modifications you made regarding the avionics and the thrust parameters mentioned in your review? Thanks!Mike A.

Hi Bert,Thanks so much for your review of the Epic Victory. If it's not too much trouble, would you mind posting the specific modifications you made regarding the avionics and the thrust parameters mentioned in your review? Thanks!Mike A.

Here are the aircraft.cfg changes I made:[TurbineEngineData]fuel_flow_gain = 0.02 //Gain on fuel flow - was 0.0025inlet_area = 1 //Square Feet, engine nacelle inlet area - was 4.2895rated_N2_rpm = 10000 //29920 RPM, second stage compressor rated value static_thrust = 1615 //Lbs, max rated static thrust at Sea Level - was 2900afterburner_available = 0 //Afterburner available?reverser_available = 0 //Thrust reverser available?reverser_available=0.000000________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[jet_engine]thrust_scalar = 1.2 // was 1.0Regarding the G1000, you'll have to contact me via PM and I'll see if I can help you with some of my edits..

Here are the aircraft.cfg changes I made:[TurbineEngineData]fuel_flow_gain = 0.02 //Gain on fuel flow - was 0.0025inlet_area = 1 //Square Feet, engine nacelle inlet area - was 4.2895rated_N2_rpm = 10000 //29920 RPM, second stage compressor rated value static_thrust = 1615 //Lbs, max rated static thrust at Sea Level - was 2900afterburner_available = 0 //Afterburner available?reverser_available = 0 //Thrust reverser available?reverser_available=0.000000________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[jet_engine]thrust_scalar = 1.2 // was 1.0Regarding the G1000, you'll have to contact me via PM and I'll see if I can help you with some of my edits..

Hi Bert,Thanks for posting your changes--I was going to send you a PM but someone beat me to the question in the open forums. One question, what's the effect of reducing the N2 RPM? Also, do your changes make the range fairly realistic? I was unhappy with my changes--the Epic was losing too much airspeed during the climb into the flight levels and will try yours. Some of my changes were similar (reducing the inlet area and thrust), but I also found I had to adjust the .air file to raise the stall from 55 kts to 75 kts.Regards,John

Hi Bert,Thanks for posting your changes--I was going to send you a PM but someone beat me to the question in the open forums. One question, what's the effect of reducing the N2 RPM? Also, do your changes make the range fairly realistic? I was unhappy with my changes--the Epic was losing too much airspeed during the climb into the flight levels and will try yours. Some of my changes were similar (reducing the inlet area and thrust), but I also found I had to adjust the .air file to raise the stall from 55 kts to 75 kts.Regards,John

John,I'm definitely no air file expert and I simply made changes that I hoped would make the flight experiencemore to my liking. The airplane still stalls at unrealistically slow speeds with my mods..Try it and post your observations and potential changes! Maybe a collective effort will producea better solution :(

Did you every notice that the EPIC has no default passenger loading? Adding a few will probably dramatically change the flight dynamics since the plane is so small.Here are my settings that allow climbs to FL 35 (no passengers)[flight_tuning]cruise_lift_scalar=0.4parasite_drag_scalar=.3 // .5 Still bleeds arispeed like a banshee with gear downinduced_drag_scalar=1.0elevator_effectiveness=.9 //1.3 Se belowaileron_effectiveness=1.0rudder_effectiveness=1.0 //1.5pitch_stability=1.6 // 1.6 Don't change this.roll_stability=1.5yaw_stability=1.3elevator_trim_effectiveness=1.2 // 1.5 Don't enable AP on the ground because if you do the trim will keep adjusting UP with an ALT SEL.aileron_trim_effectiveness=1.0rudder_trim_effectiveness=1.0jja

Bert: thanks for your review! I was not able to download the manual using the link you provided so I'll ask my questions here.

 

I'm contemplating the purchase of the EPIC, but wanted to know a couple of things:

 

1. Does the plane have VNAV?

2. Can you program the flight plan (FP) using AIRAC cycle or is it strictly a FSX FP?

 

Thanks.

Dave

Bert: thanks for your review! I was not able to download the manual using the link you provided so I'll ask my questions here. I'm contemplating the purchase of the EPIC, but wanted to know a couple of things: 1. Does the plane have VNAV? 2. Can you program the flight plan (FP) using AIRAC cycle or is it strictly a FSX FP? Thanks. Dave

 

This is decidedly a "light" systems implementation, so in answer to your questions:  No and No  :rolleyes:

 

As for the manual, look at the bottom of this page and click on the picture of the manual to download.

 

http://www.lionheartcreations.com/Victory.html

 

If you are looking for systems fidelity, you might be better off looking at the Flight1 Mustang.

 

http://www.flight1.com/products.asp?product=f1mustang

 

The Victory has long been retired from my system, but the Mustang is here to stay..

 

Again... bottom of the page, you can download the manual..

Thanks Bert for the quick reply!

 

I own the Flight1 Mustang, and it doesn't have VNAV.

 

I agree the fidelity of the Mustang's G1000 is better but without VNAV it's not a complete package.

 

I was hoping the Carenado Phenom 100's G1000 would be better but I have read that has neither.

 

Wish one of these developers would produce a faithful nav package for the G1000 (PMDG-like quality).

 

Thanks again Bert.

 

 

Thanks Bert for the quick reply! I own the Flight1 Mustang, and it doesn't have VNAV. I agree the fidelity of the Mustang's G1000 is better but without VNAV it's not a complete package. I was hoping the Carenado Phenom 100's G1000 would be better

 

The Feelthere phenom has Vnav along with every other AP mode that the real Phenom has, unlike the make believe Carenado effort.

It is also on sale at the moment

 

http://www.pcaviator.com/store/search.php?mode=search&page=1

Thanks Mad Dog for the tip! Before I purchase another disappointing plan (Flight1), does the FeelThere Phenom 100 have the ability to develop a flight plan using AIRAC cycle or is it a simple FMS that loads flight plans from FSX default flight planner? The write-up would suggest that the flight planning ability is just FSX not AIRAC.

 

Thanks in advance.

Dave